Pittsburgh Penguins' Frustration With Erik Karlsson Growing: Another Trade to Come?

Erik Karlsson recently stated that he's been playing well this year, however, management within the organization doesn't seem too pleased with him.

The Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly are growing uneasy about Erik Karlsson's fit with the team as frustrations with the veteran defenseman mount.

This unease points to concerns over Karlsson's defensive effort and a perceived mismatch in his self-assessment, as he insists he's playing at a high level.

Of course, Karlsson is a notably offensive-minded defenseman and has picked up a respectable 10 points in 16 games.

That's not quite the incredible 101-point full-season pace he managed during his outstanding year with the San Jose Sharks, but it's still a good rate for a defenseman.

His skills on offense were clearly on display in one recent game in which he assisted on the first two goals in a 4-2 win for Pittsburgh.

But Karlsson's reputation for defense being an afterthought has certainly followed him to Pittsburgh, his current rating sitting at -7.

While the point production has been acceptable, the defensive gaffes have been concerning on a team struggling to stabilize a shaky back end, after all, the Penguins are allowing nearly four goals against per game with a near league-worst -15 goal differential.

Then again, there's the matter of general manager Kyle Dubas having bet big on trading for him in 2023.

Carrying a massive $10 million annual cap hit, Karlsson has two years remaining after this season, making a trade tricky. In a re-tooling phase of being a contender again, the Penguins will find their roster flexibility severely hampered by Karlsson's contract.

Whether Pittsburgh can find a way to adapt its game to maximize Karlsson's strengths while finding ways to compensate for his defensive shortcomings, or if he will be a long-term impediment in their effort to reclaim playoff relevance, now looms as the large question above his future with them.

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